Distribution of cars in yards.



I a. w. McMU NN." DISTRIBUTION OF CARS IN1'YARDS APPLICATION HLED NOV. "8. I916, RENEWED IIUGK23. I917- j Patented ow -9, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENIZ'OR www WITNESSES G. W. McMUNN.

DISTRIBUTION OF CA'RS IN YARDS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. I916. RENEWED AUG. 23. m1.

Patented Oct. 9. 1917-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNESSES p nrrnn srarns' "rnrnnr orrrc n.

"GEORGE w. MQMUNN, or PITTSBURGH,.PENNSYLVAN1AQ DISTRIBUTION or cans I1v YARDS.

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. Specification of Letters Patent; Patented 0013.9, 191

a Application filed November 8,1918, Serial No. 130,202. :Renevved August 23, 1917; Serial No. 187,883.

To all whom concern,

Be it known that I, GnonenW. MGMUNN, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a

citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvement inthe Distribution of Cars Yards, of which improvement the following is a specification. 7 v

In order to facilitate the distributiori of cars composing a train in 'accordancewith their ult mate destination, dlstributing yards or two or more cars are uncoupled from the are provided with an elevated section of A train of cars is pushed up this track. elevated section and as one or more cars pass beyond the apex of the elevation, the coupling connecting the car or cars to the remainder of the train is released allowing the car or carsto roll down the opposite side of the incline and onto a branch line, the end of the track on the delivery side of the elevated section being adapted to be connected by, suitably arranged switches with.

any one of a plurality of branches. As soon as the car or cars first cut loose have passed on to the proper branch track, the'next one train and pushed over the apex of the elevated section from which they will pass onto the proper'branch, the proper switch or switches having been shifted; As the cars roll down the inclined rear side of the ele-' vated-section, they acquire considerable momentum and hence a brakeman usually. rides down with each car or section of cars to apply the brake at the proper time, and a yardman must attend so as to see that the couplings are in proper condition to insure a car being coupled to other cars on the branches. By reason of carelessness, accidents frequently occur in the distribution or drilling of cars.

The invention described herein has for its object the provision of means whereby the movement of a car or cars along a branch track connected to the inclined section, as hereinafter described, can be controlled by an operator, stationed at a suitable point, preferably along the elevated section, and who usually controls the switches for the distribution of the cars on the several branches. The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a track section and the branches radiating the movement of the cars along the branch;

Fig; Qi'is a side: elevation showing a car mov ng along one. ofthe'branches and provided with 'suitablefconnections' extending from the brake'mechanismwhereby thefllat ter be appliedtothe wheels ofthe car by a rail orplate arranged parallel with the rails of the branch track; Fig. 3 is a plan view of car, the body of'the car be ing removed ,and illustrating a portion of the brake. mechanism and the connection whereby. the brake mechanism may ,be caused ,tooperateby the shifting of a plate or, rail parallel with the track; F ig. 4 is a view ona larger scale illustrating the man-f ner of moving the plate or rail to operative position.

In the practice of the invention, plates or rails 1 are arranged preferably intermediate the rails 2 of the, ,branch tracks and ex tendingfroma point. adjacent to the foot of the elevatedtracksection for any: de=

sirable distance along .the branch, tracks,

These plates or rails'jl are, formed insections for convenience'of erectionand operation, but, are arranged so closely adjacent to one another as to be practically continuous sirable to be provided with such rails or plates. As the plates or rails of the severalbranch tracks are to beshifted, as hereinafter described, to control the movement of the car or cars, suitable means are provided whereby such plates or rails may be raised to operative position by connections extending from a tower B, preferably arranged adjacent to the elevated track section. A convenient construction for shifting the rails or plates consists of a series of shafts 3 mounted in suitable bearings and transverse ofthe branch track and provided with arms 4 adapted to bear on the under side of plates or rails 1 and when shifted to raise the latter to the desired height. These shafts 3 are also provided with arms 5 connected by rods or pipes 6 to suitable operative levers in the tower B. Each car is provided with suitable means When the latterare raised to operative posifor the full length of the; branch tracks; or r suchportion of such track section as is de- I10 adapted to frictionallyengage the plates 1 tion and by reason of such frictional engagement to exert a pull through suitable connections, on the brake mechanism and cause the latter to apply the brakes to the Wheels of the car. A convenient construction to this end consists of a shaft 7 mount ed in suitable bearings on one of the trucks, saidshaft having small Wheels 12 secured thereon, the shaft and Wheels being so arranged that the latter Will engage the plates 1 when raised and cause the shaft to rotate. To this'shaft issecured one end of a chain 8 passing around a grooved pulley 9, carried by an arm 10 connected to a lever 11 of the brake" mechanism; The opposite end of this chain passes back substantially parallelwith'the main part of the chain a suitable distance Where its end is attached to a suitable portion of the car.

" As the shaft 7 is rotated, the main chain Will be Wound up thereon, shifting the lever 11 of the brake mechanism and applying the brakes.

In case it is desired to utilize the air brake mechanism, a pipe 13 is connected to one of the pipes of the air brake under the car, and said pipe 13 is provided With an escape valve 14, having its operating arm connected to the brake lever or any other suitable part capable of being shifted by the rotation of the shaft 12.

In using my improved apparatus, the operator in the tower Watches a car as it passes 7 down the incline and along the branch track and as soon as it'reaches the desired portion of such branch, or approaches another car standing thereon, he

stood that the braking power applied Wlll be Within certain limits dependent upon pressure exerted by the plate or rail 1 on the Wheels 12.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. A car distributing yard having an-elevated section of track, a plurality of branch tracks, switches for connecting the branches with the delivery side ofthe elevated section in combination With means arranged along the branch tracks adapted, When shifted to operative position, to engage and shift a member of the brakemechanism in a car passing along a branch track.

2'. A car distributing yard, having an elevated' section of track, a plurality of branch tracks, switches for connecting the branches with the delivery side of the elevated section in combinationwith rails or plates arranged along thebranch tracks, means for shifting said plates or rails to and from operative positions, and a movable member s tracks and switches for connecting the GEORGE N. MOMUNN.

W'itness G. G. TRILL,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, DJC. 

